Golf cart ball dispensing handle construction

ABSTRACT

A handle construction for attachment to a usual golf cart having a ball dispensing mechanism mounted thereon. A spring biased plunger is located within a tube and moves golf balls stored within the tube out through an open end of the tube. A stop rod and an actuator button are pivotally mounted, each on opposite ends of a pivotally mounted cam. A spring biased retainer rod engages the cam holding it in an at rest position which extends the stop rod into the open tube end blocking movement of balls through the open end. Depression of the actuator button pivots the cam and simultaneously retracts the stop rod from the open tube end dispensing the outermost stored golf ball, and projects the retainer rod into the tube preventing ejection of the remaining balls until the actuator button is released, whereby the stop rod again blocks the open tube end.

United States Patent 1191 Walkerow 1 51 May 15, 1973,

[54] GOLF CART BALL DISPENSING HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Nashville, Ohio 44661 [22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 166,026

[52] US. Cl. ..280/47.l7, 221/298, 224/29 B,

' 280/D1G. 6 [51] Int. Cl ..B62b 5/06, B62b 11/00 [58] Field of Search ..280/47.l7, 47.19,

280/DIG. 6; 224/29 B; 221/226, 238, 297, 298, 299; 273/32 D 3,602,403 Klem ..221/298 X Primary Examiner-Kenneth H. Betts Assistant Examiner-Leslie J. Paperner Attorney-John l-l. Bishop et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A handle construction for attachment to a usual golf cart having a ball dispensing mechanism mounted thereon. A spring biased plunger is located within a tube and moves golf balls stored within the tube out through an open end of the tube. A stop rod and an actuator button are pivotally mounted, each on opposite ends of a pivotally mounted cam. A spring biased retainer rod engages the cam holding it in an at rest position which extends the stop rod into the open tube end blocking movement of balls through the open end. Depression of the actuator button pivots the cam and simultaneously retracts the stop rod from the open tube end dispensing the outermost stored golf ball, and projects the retainer rod into the tube preventing ejection of the remaining balls until the actuator button is released, whereby the stop rod again blocks the open tube end. 6

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PA'IENHQU MY 1 51973 FIG. 8

FIG.4

FIG. 1

INVENTOR. LOY P. WALKERQW FIG.7

ATTORN EYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to golf carts and particularly to golf cart handles. More particularly the invention relates to a golf cart handle construction for attachment to a usual golf cart which enables a quantity of golf balls to be stored within the handle for individual dispensing therefrom by simple operation of a trigger mechanism mounted on the handle.

2. Description of the Prior Art Most golfers today drive an electrically powered golf cart or pull a two-wheeled golf cart upon which a golf bag is mounted providing easy accessibility to the golf clubs. The golf bag usually contains one or more pockets which store a number of golf balls along with golf tees, ball markers and miscellaneous items.

Golfers use several different golf balls while playing, such as a different ball for driving, putting or near a water hazard. This requires the inconvenience of carrying the extra balls in their pants pockets or searching through the golf bag ball pockets each time a different ball is desired for play.

A number of golf carts have ball storage and dispensing means incorporated into the carts to alleviate this problem. Examples of some of these constructions are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 2,480,597, 2,662,776, 2,806,711, 3,172,681, and 3,459,434.

Such constructions consist of tubes, some of which are flexible to retain the balls within the tube and others are provided with springs biasing the ball against a stop adjacent an opening. Other dispensing constructions consist of various housings having openings for removal of the stored golf balls.

All of these constructions require manual removal of the balls from storage by grasping theball and pulling it from its tube or housing.

Problems have been encountered in the use of these ball storage and dispensing means. The means used to retain the balls in their storage must be-of sufficient strength to preventaccidentalloss of the balls as the cart is jerked and bumpedabout, yet permit easy removal of the ball or balls by the golfer.

Manual removal of the balls may be difficult when the golfer is wearing a golf glove or his hands are perspiring. Likewise, it may be time consuming to remove all or a number of thestored balls when at the end of play or if one ball in particular is sought by the golfer.

Another construction provides a lifting lever to raise golf galls stored in a vertical tube which requires just the proper amount of lift to prevent too many golf balls from being removed.

These prior constructions require separate components to be mounted on the golf cart for storage of the balls and do not modify an existing golf cart component thereby reducing weight and the number of cart components.

No prior golf cart ball storage and dispensing means of which I am aware has eliminated these problems by incorporation of a ball storage chamber in the handle of a golf cart, and which is provided with a trigger mechanism for retention of the balls within the handle and for individual ejection of the topmost ball therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing a golf cart ball dispensing handle construction which is attached to a usual golf cart in lieu of a usual golf cart handle and which provides for storage of a plurality of golf balls within the handle; providing a trigger mechanism on the handle construction which retains the stored golf balls within the handle and which ejects only the topmost golf ball upon depression of the trigger actuator button; providing a golf cart ball dispensing handle construction which spring biases the stored balls toward the ejection opening and into engagement with the trigger mechanism; providing a golf cart ball dispensing handle construction which enables a golf ball to be pushed into the ejection opening automatically depressing the ball retaining means until passage of the golf ball without separate manipulation of any retention or release mechanism; and providing a golf cart ball dispensing handle construction which is inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy and durable in use, simple to operate, and which eliminates difficulties heretofore encountered, achieves the objectives indicated, and solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.

These objects and advantages are obtained by the golf cart ball dispensing handle construction of the invention, the general nature of which may be stated as including tube means having at least one open end; attachment means for attaching the tube means to a golf cart; plunger means slidably located within the tube means having spring means biasingthe plunger means toward the tube means open end; trigger means mounted on the tube means adjacent the tube means open end for individually dispensinggolf balls stored within the tube means; the trigger means including cam means having first and second ends and being pivotally mounted on the tube means intermediate said cam ends; stop means pivotally mounted on one end of the cam means and actuator means mounted on the cam other end; retainer means engageable with the cam means and extendable into the tube means; and spring means biasing the cam means to at rest position, whereby the stop means blocks the tube means open end and the actuator means is set to be actuated, and whereby the actuator means when actuated pivots the cam means removing the stop means from blocking the open tube end and projects the retainer means into the tube means blocking movement of a portion of the stored golf balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS portions broken away and in section, of the ball dispensing handle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the trigger mechanism of the ball dispensing handle;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5, FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the trigger mechanism in dispensing position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7-7, FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cam component of the trigger mechanism.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The novel golf cart ball dispensing handle construction is generally indicated at 1, and is shown mounted on a usual two-wheel golf cart 2 (FIG. 1). A golf bag 3 containing golf clubs 4 is shown in dash lines and is mounted on cart 2.

Handle 1 usually will be in an inclined position when attached to a golf cart 2 as shown in FIG. 1, but for purposes of illustration and description is shown in a horizontal position in FIGS. 2-6.

Handle 1 (FIG. 2) includes a tube5, an attachment base 6, a trigger assembly 7 and a hand grip 8.

Tube 5 is formed by cylindrical wall 9 and includes open top and bottom ends 10 and 11, respectively. Bore 12 formed within tube 5 by wall 9, has a diameter equal to or slightly larger than that of a golf ball. Wall 9 preferably is formed of metal and is strong enough to resist dents from being formed which would prevent passage of a golf ball through bore 12.

The lower end of tube 5 extends into a cavity 13 formed in attachment base 6 and is secured therein by setscrews 14. A gear ring 15 may be attached to base 6 for mounting of handle 1 on golf cart 2. Ring 15 is clamped in conventional manner to a similar gear ring mounted on most golf carts by a bolt 16 and nut 17.

A spring 18 extends throughout tube bore 12 and has one end seated within base cavity 13 and the opposite end engaged with a plunger 19.

Plunger 19 is slidably mounted within bore 12 and is biased toward open end 10 of tube 5 by spring 18. Plunger 19 preferably is shaped as shown in FIG. 3, having a semi-spherical-shaped front head 20 and a rear cup-shaped portion 21 connected to plunger head 20 by a short cylindrical section 22. Cup 21 is formed with a recess 23 in which spring 18 is seated.

The tip portion 24 of plunger head 20 contacts innermost golf ball 25a of a plurality of golf balls, shown in dash lines FIG. 2, when stored within tube 5, pushing the golf balls toward open tube end 10.

Trigger assembly 7 which individually dispenses the stored golf balls, has an outer housing 26 which conceals and protects a trigger mechanism, indicated at 27, located within housing 26. Trigger mechanism 27 includes an irregularly shaped metal mounting block 28 formed with a concave top edge 29 into which tube 5 is seated and welded thereto at 30 (FIG. 4).

Outer housing 26 has an elongated, irregular boxshape formed by parallel side walls 31, sloped front wall 32, bottom wall 33 and thickened back wall 34. The top edges 35 of side walls 31 are curved slightly inwardly so as to seat tightly against tube 5 (FIG. 4).

Housing 26 is attached to mounting block 28 by pins 36 which extend through aligned holes 37 and 38 formed in block 28 and in housing side walls 31, respectively, (FIG. 5).

Hand grip 8 (FIG. 2) consists of a tubular shaft 39 bent slightly downwardly. One end 40 of shaft 39 is threaded and is engaged in an opening 41 formed in outer housing back wall 34. A plastic or rubberized grip 42 is slip-fitted over shaft39 to be grasped by a golfer to move cart 2 in a conventional manner as when a usual golf cart handle is attached to cart 2.

Trigger mechanism 27 includes a cam 43 (FIG. 8) which is pivotally mounted between a pair of flanges 44 on a pin 45. Flanges 44 extend downwardly from the bottom of block 28 and may be formed integral therewith (FIGS. 3 and 6).

An actuator button 46 is pivotally mounted on one end of cam 43 by a pin 47 and extends through an opening 48 formed in housing bottom wall 33. A yoke assembly 49 is pivotally mounted on the other end of cam 43 by a pin 50 to provide the stop means for retaining stored golf balls within tube 5 until trigger mechanism 27 is actuated.

Yoke assembly 49 has stop rod 51 threadably engaged in the upper end of a yoke 52. The spaced arms 53 of yoke 52 are formed with slots 54 by which pin 50 pivotally and slidably mounts yoke 52 on cam 43.

A spring 56 is located between arms 53 and has one end seated in an annular recess 57 (FIGS. 7 and 8) formed in cam 43. Spring 56 biases yoke assembly 49 away from cam 43, locating pivot pine 50 at the bottom of arm slots 54. Rod 51 extends into bore 12 through a slanted opening 58 formed in block 28 and an aligned opening 59 formed in tube wall 9.

The outer end 60 of rod 51 is beveled with respect to tube wall 9 when extending through tube wall opening 59. A shoulder 61 is formed on block 28 and is engaged by yoke 52 when in extended position (FIG. 3) to limit the amount of projection of rod 51 into bore 12 through opening 59.

A vertical opening 62 is formed in mounting block 28, spaced from slanted opening 58, and aligns with an opening 63 formed in tube wall 9. A retainer rod 64 is located in opening 62 and is biased by a spring 65 away from projection into tube 5 and into engagement with cam 43.

Spring 65 preferably surrounds rod 64 and is main-- tained thereon by engagement with an annular shoulder 66 formed within opening 62 and with an enlarged head 67 on rod 64.

The operation of the golf cart ball dispensing handle 1 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. i

In the at rest position of FIG. 3, tube spring 18 biases plunger 19 and stored golf balls 25 and 25a toward open tube end 10.

Spring 65 biases retainer rod 64 out of engagement in tube 5 and forces head 67 against cam 43. Cam 43 is biased in a clockwise direction about pin 45 extending actuator button 46 through housing bottom wall opening 48 and extending stop rod 51 through mounting block opening 58 and tube wall opening 59 into tube bore 12. Rod 51 thus retains the stored golf balls within tube 5 by blocking passage of outermost ball 25.

A golfer merely depresses actuator button 46 in an upwardly direction indicated by arrow A, FIG. 6, to release outermost golf ball 25.

Upon depression of button 46, cam 43 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction about pin 45. Cam 43 simultaneously withdraws stop rod 51 from within bore moves outermost ball 25 a sufficient distance along tube 5 and through open' end to permit a golfer to withdraw ball 25 from within tube 5.

After removal of ball 25, button 46 is released and retainer rod 64 through the force of compressed spring 65, pivots cam 43 to its at rest position. Pivoting cam.

43, simultaneously withdraws retainer rod 64 from within bore 12 and projects stop rod 51 into bore 12.

Adjacent stored ball 25a then moves forward by the action of plunger 19 until stopped by rod 51. Ball 25a then remains in the outermost position against rod 51 until button 46 is next depressed to individually eject another stored ball.

A golfer need not withdraw ball 25 when in the posi-' tion of FIG. 6, which may be difficult if the golfers hand is perspiring or is gloved. Ball 25 will pop out upon release of button 46 due to the forward movement of adjacent ball. 25a to its outermost position against stop rod 51.

Plunger head preferably is shaped similar to a portion of a golf ball so as to provide a space 69 between it and the innermost ball, similar to space 68 between balls and 25a into which space retainer rod 64 projects to temporarily retain the remaining stored golf balls upon ejection of the outermost golf ball.

After ejection of the last stored golf ball, plunger 19 moves forward and is retained within tube 5 by stop rod 51. Cup portion 21 of plunger 19 preferably extends diametrically across bore 12 and slidably engages wall 9 and is long enough so as to block tube wall opening 63. Thus, retainer rod 64 is blocked from movement I into bore 12 through opening 63 by plunger cup portion 21. Therefore, button 46 cannot-be depressed and prevents stop rod 51 from being withdrawn from bore 12 which would result in the ejection of plunger 19 from tube 5 with possible damage to spring 18.

The particular-construction of yoke assembly 49 permits golf balls to be inserted easily into tube 5 as well as to retain the golf balls within tube 5.

A golf ball inserted into open end 10 of tube 5 contacts an outermost stored golf ball, or plunger head 20 if tube 5 is empty of golf balls, and compresses spring 18.

The inserted golf ball contacts beveled end 60 of stop rod 51, and moves rod 51 and yoke 52 downwardly into housing 26. Cam 43 remains stationary due to the blocking. of retainer rod 64 by the adjacent ball within tube 5, or plunger 19 if tube 5 is empty.

Arms 53 of yoke 52 slide downwardly past cam 43 with pin 50 extending through slots 54 until complete insertion of the ball past rod 51 into tube 5. Yoke spring 56' moves yoke 52 and rod 51 upwardly, with rod tube bore 12 after passage of the inserted ball to retain the stored golf balls.

Although the ball dispensing handle construction illustrated and described above is attached to a usual two-wheel type cart, it can replace the steering handle of an electric powered golf cart. The electric cart handles generally are tubular and have a shape somewhat similar'to dispensing handle 1. Thus, handle 1 may be adapted for use on an electric golf cart without departing from the concept of the invention.

Accordingly, the golf cart ball dispensing handle construction provides for the convenient storage of a number of golf balls within a handle attached to a usual golf cart; enables golf balls stored within the handle to be dispensed individually by movement of an actuating button and in which a dispensed golf ball can be made to pop out of the handle eliminating the heretofore manually pulling or lifting of a golf ball from storage; provides for easy placement of the golf balls within the tube handle; provides means for retaining the plunger mechanism within the handle and for preventing accidental release of the plunger mechanism if the actuator button is depressed; and provides such a construction which is effective, inexpensive, and simple in assembly, operation and use and which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and attains new results in the art.

'In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details of the construction shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the golf cart ball dispensing handle construction is constructed, assembled and operated, the characteristics of the new construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf cart ball dispensing handle construction including an upright tubular handle open at its upper end, means for attaching the tubular handle to a golf cart, trigger means mounted on said tubular handle adjacent the open upper end thereof for individually dispensing golf balls stored within the tubular handle, stop means for stopping the uppermost ball and retainer means for retaining the next to the uppermost ball in the tubular handle, said stop means and retainer means being operatively associated with the trigger means, spring means normally biasing the stop means into the tubular handle and normally biasing the retainer means away from the the plunger rear portion blocking movement of the retainer means into the tubular handle when the front portion is stopped within the tubular handle by the stop means to prevent ejection of the plunger from the handle open end. I

2. The handle construction defined in claim 1 in which the plunger means front portion is rounded, in which the plunger means rear portion is cup-shaped, and in which the plunger spring means has one end seated within said cup-shaped rear portion.

3. A golf cart ball dispensing handle construction including an upright tubular handle open at its upper end; means for attaching the tubular handle to a golf cart; a plunger slidably located within the tubular handle; plunger spring means biasing the plunger towards the tubular handle open upper end; trigger means including cam means having first and second ends pivotally mounted intermediate said cam ends on the tubular handle adjacent the open upper end thereof for individually dispensing golf balls stored within the tubular handle; stop means slidably mounted on the first end of the cam means for stopping the uppermost ball in the tubular handle and actuator button means mounted on the second cam end; retainer means engageable with the cam means for retaining the next to the uppermost the cam means, and yoke spring means biasing said stop rod toward the tubular handle and away from the cam means; cam spring means normally biasing the stop means toward the tubular handle and normally biasing the retainer means away from the tubular handle whereby when the trigger means is actuated by depressing the actuator button means, the cam means causes the stop means to be withdrawn from the tubular handle and the retainer means to be projected into said handle.

4. The handle construction defined in claim 3 in which the yoke means has a pair of spaced legs formed with slots; in which the stop rod is mounted on the yoke means; in which pin means extends through the yoke legs slots slidably and pivotally mounting the yoke means on the cam means; and in which the yoke spring means bias the yoke means away from the cam means whereby the pin means are normally located at the bot tom of the yoke slots.

retracts the stop rod from within the tubular handle. 

1. A golf cart ball dispensing handle construction including an upright tubular handle open at its upper end, means for attaching the tubular handle to a golf cart, trigger means mounted on said tubular handle adjacent the open upper end thereof for individually dispensing golf balls stored within the tubular handle, stop means for stopping the uppermost ball and retainer means for retaining the next to the uppermost ball in the tubular handle, said stop means and retainer means being operatively associated with the trigger means, spring means normally biasing the stop means into the tubular handle and normally biasing the retainer means away from the tubular handle, means causing the stop means to be withdrawn from the tubular handle and the retainer means to be projected therein when the trigger means is actuated, a plunger having front and rear portions slidably located within the tubular handle for forcing golf balls when stored within the handle towards the handle open end, plunger spring means biasing the plunger toward the tubular handle open upper end, and the plunger rear portion blocking movement of the retainer means into the tubular handle when the front portion is stopped within the tubular handle by the stop means to prevent ejection of the plunger from the handle open end.
 2. The handle construction defined in claim 1 in which the plunger means front portion is rounded, in which the plunger means rear portion is cup-shaped, and in which the plunger spring means has one end seated within said cup-shaped rear portion.
 3. A golf cart ball dispensing handle construction including an upright tubular handle open at its upper end; means for attaching the tubular handle to a golf cart; a plunger slidably located within the tubular handle; plunger spring means biasing the plunger towards the tubular handle open upper end; trigger means including cam means having first and second ends pivotally mounted intermediate said cam ends on the tubular handle adjacent the open upper end thereof for individually dispensing golf balls stored within the tubular handle; stop means slidably mounted on the first end of the cam means for stopping the uppermost ball in the tubular handle and actuator button means mounted on the second cam end; retainer means engageable with the cam means for retaining the next to the uppermost ball in the tubular handle; the stop means including a stop rod, yoke means slidably mounting the stop rod on the cam means, and yoke spring means biasing said stop rod toward the tubular handle and away from the cam means; cam spring means normally biasing the stop means toward the tubular handle and normally biasing the retainer means away from the tubular handle whereby when the trigger means is actuated by depressing the actuator button means, the cam means causes the stop means to be withdrawn from the tubular handle and the retainer means to be projected into said handle.
 4. The handle construction defined in claim 3 in which the yoke means has a pair of spaced legs formed with slots; in which the stop rod is mounted on the yoke means; in which pin means extends through the yoke legs slots slidably and pivotally mounting the yoke means on the cam means; and in which the yoke spring means bias the yoke means away from the cam means whereby the pin means are normally located at the bottom of the yoke slots.
 5. The handle construction defined in claim 3 in which the stop rod has an outer end which normally extends into the tubular handle, and in which said outer end is beveled whereby a golf ball when inserted into the upper open end of the tubular handle contacts the beveled end and compresses the yoke spring means and retracts the stop rod from within the tubular handle. 